So the Green Bay Packers took a chance on a troubled, but talented player on Monday when they signed former Oregon tight end Colt Lyerla.
This guy basically messed up his entire college career due to brushes with the law and quitting the team. That’s why he went undrafted and why he had to earn a contract through a tryout with the Packers.
Well, Ted Thompson gave him that contract, as he’s done with troubled players in the past. And we’re cool with that because we believe in second chances. Besides, if it doesn’t work you just cut the guy and that’s that.
If it does work, then you maybe get a future star.
But not everyone sees it that way. Especially people who walk around with a stick jammed up their ass.
The Journal Sentinel’s Bob McGinn is seemingly leading the anti-Lyerla charge.
Rest assured 31 other NFL teams raised eyebrows and wondered about leadership/direction in Green Bay after the signing of TE Lyerla.
— Bob McGinn (@BobMcGinn) May 20, 2014
Really? I highly fucking doubt that.
The Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions certainly didn’t. Those two teams are home to more criminals than anyone in the NFL. The Dallas Cowboys, employers of Mr. Character Issues himself, Dez Bryant?
How about the Miami Dolphins? Oh, they now employ three guys who were kicked off their college teams and a fourth who was suspended for a year.
Maybe the Cincinnati Bengals? Oh, no. Both Vontaze Burfict, who tested positive for weed at the combine, and Jeremy Hill, who’s actually on probation until next year, have jobs with that team.
You know, I could go on, but you get the picture.
My point is this: If 31 NFL teams are shaking their heads at the Packers today, they need to look in the damn mirror first.
— Matt Miller (@nfldraftscout) May 20, 2014
Precisely.
The Packers, of course, have given guys second chances before. They re-signed Johnny Jolly after he got out of prison on a drug conviction. McGinn would point out that Jolly was a member of the team for four years before he went away and that Lyerla has only been in Green Bay for four days.
Well… The Tedster also gave receiver Koren Robinson a second chance back in 2006. Robinson was released by the Vikings after leading police on a high-speed chase. He was also facing an NFL suspension for his third violation of the substance abuse policy.
And how many days was he in town before the Packers signed him? Zero.
But let’s forget about that because McGinn obviously has.
Almost every franchise has been in the gutter before. Win at all costs defines NFL just like it defined #Packers Mon. So risky. Just say no.
— Bob McGinn (@BobMcGinn) May 20, 2014
I don’t get it, but obviously, in some people’s eyes (maybe just one person’s), the Lyerla signing is a stain on the whole organization.
Well, fuck that. If the kid can play and stay out of trouble, then why shouldn’t he have a chance? And what better place for him to get a chance than in Green Bay?
On another note, he’s my favorite tweet about Lyerla today.
We were surprised @packers passed on a TE in the draft, if a roll of the dice on Colt Lyerla works, he was the best talent at the position
— mattmoneysmith (@mattmoneysmith) May 20, 2014
Money obviously is unaware that the Packers drafted Richard Rodgers in the third round. Whoops!